We Stand, Unknown
by Naiya-Hime
Summary: AU, OC. Balance is key in this universe: For every life, there must be a death; for every tainted entity, there must be a purity to counteract it. It's only natural, really.
1. the daylight here

**We Stand, Unknown  
**_Intro_

**A/N: **I'm baaack! It took me a year or two, but I finally decided on an intro.

Keep me on track with a helpful cattle-prod review?

**Disclaimer:** I do not own Naruto. I do, however, own pretty much everything mentioned in this chapter. So, yeah, no stealing, please.

...

The world streaks swiftly past me, bright golds and blinding whites smearing themselves against a backdrop of black as I am thrown against the hard flank of my mother's summon. Tiny pin-pricks of light pop behind my lids and my breath escapes me in a soft whoosh, the taste of copper filling my mouth and burning at the back of my throat. My hands tighten into fists around the gore-matted fur of the wolf gently nudging me with her head as a soft moan of pain slips past my cracked lips, expelling the last of my air.

Uzume's breath, a mix of salt and the metallic burn of blood, fans hotly across my face as a soft noise of concern rumbles from low in her throat, making my scalp prickle. Spluttering against the blood steadily filling up my mouth, I finally manage to whisper, "Take me to her..."

I peel my eyelids open as Uzume tenderly nudges me forward and instantly the light floods my senses like the sun is sitting on the grass before me. I raise my hands to shield my eyes but still the light shines on, slipping between the cracks in my fingers and continuing its assault on my senses. I blink rapidly and slowly my mother's form comes dancing into view.

The light is coming off of her in waves, radiating outwards and glancing off of the armor of her fighting warriors, making them all glimmer like beacons dancing in the sun. If I hadn't known they were fighting, I'd have thought they were merely doing the ritual dance for a festival; they're graceful even in the face of death.

My mother's dark hair is alight with gold and whipping about her face despite the usual icy wind being strangely absent. Fire burns through her veins, pulsing beneath her skin, growing ever brighter with each passing moment. I know that if I could see her eyes now that they, too, would be a molten gold.

"Naiya," Her voice is strained, like a wire wrapped too tightly, and I can see a sheen of sweat glittering on her brow. _"Now."_

I stand shakily, using Uzume as leverage, keeping my eyes pointedly away from the gash that cuts my arm neatly in two. I can't help but feel the warm ooze of blood running from it, though, and the thought makes my stomach churn uncomfortably.

"But-"

"Naiya, please." Her eyes meet mine, for just a second, and I see plainly the pain, the fear, _the conviction_ in their sunlit depths.

I open my mouth to scream and make a jerking movement forward, thrashing within the embrace of the strong arms wrapped around my waist, my hands reaching for her. Just like the sunlight, she slips through my fingers.

A wall of water shoots up between us, distorting the image of her as the warrior pushes me back. I cry out again but she has already turned away from me, wisps of white bending and rippling against the barrier around her.

"Go, Naiya." The warrior, Michiko, tells me. Her deep blue eyes flicker to my grey ones for a moment before looking quickly away, her face steeling into a look which I've come to realize as poorly-concealed pity. "Please, Kogane-sama has opened a portal for you. It won't last if she..."

I flinch despite myself, finishing the sentence in my mind. _If she dies._

Tears claw at the back of my eyes but I force them away, digging my nails into the skin of my already bloody arm to keep myself from sobbing. I have to be strong.

_"Balance is key in this universe. For every life given there must be a death. For every tainted entity, there must be a purity to counteract it."_

"Go."

A hand is thrust between my shoulder blades and I am propelled forward, stumbling slightly on the uneven footing of what was once the sprawling gardens my mother tended to, what is now little more than a bloody battle field. A dark red ichor, shed by either my mother or me, stains many of the flowers here, most beheaded from the fight and a few smoldering from the fire of one of my own warriors. I stop for just a moment and scoop up the only full chrysanthemum, tucking the blue blossom into the fold of my kimono before rushing on, my hand still pressed to my rapidly pounding heart.

The sounds of the fight reach my ears but I push them away. If I listen, I know I'll try to return and that is no longer an option. This attack has been long in the works, looming over us all like the storm clouds that take up residence in my eyes, threatening to rain red down at any moment, and so, too, has this plan.

_"Our power is passed through blood, Aijou."_

_"But what if I don't want it? What if I don't want your blood?"_

_"It doesn't matter what we want. It never has."_

The blood continues its path down my arm, a reminder of what I'm fleeing, and I bight down tightly on my lip, forcing myself to continuously pick my legs up and move forward. Forcing myself to pretend I can't hear the scream of pain or feel the steady thrum of energy in the air, pulsating around me like an aura of gold meshing and bleeding into silver before wrapping around me in a mockery of an embrace.

I won't think about why, about the words being carried on the wind, about the sudden lack of warmth, the absence of the sun. I can't.

After a final spurt of energy, the trees standing sentinel around the house fading to a yellow-green blur, I finally push past the remains of the ornately carved doorway. My fast, heavy footfalls echo eerily off the walls, bouncing around the large wooden foyer and growing louder until goosebumps raise along my skin. Its icy cool in here, like the walls are blowing air down the nape of my neck, pushing at my dark hair until it starts rising and blowing about.

Blue light trickles out from the hallway leading to my mother's room, falling down the grand staircase and wrapping around my arm, urging me forward. I take a tentative step, up onto the first step of the stairs, and the light beckons me further. It glimmers in the air, like moonlight woven through with stars, and it swaths me in its glow, making my pale skin sparkle a soft blue. It reminds me of the glitter I used to pour over my mother's head when I was little, pretending it was the chakra that ran through our veins but hardly ever was unbound.

Now, though...

I shake my head roughly, swatting at my thoughts like insects, and pick up my pace. I trail my hand over the blood-slicked railing as I go, the warm gore making my heart work double time. So many lost their lives protecting me tonight. So many leapt before the all-consuming flames. I cannot let their sacrifices be in vain.

Still, I can't help but pause before the sliding door to my mothers room, my fingers trailing over the painted on design of our village; a moon within a star, wrapped within three circles of varying sizes. The blue light is brighter now, shifting slowly with power, pulsating just beyond the paper door and making it glow. The symbol stands out a harsh, bloody red against the pure light. It takes me a long moment to realize that the bloody coloring is from my red stained fingers and that the design is just as soft and comforting as it always was.

I slowly slide the door open, edging it back in measured centimeters, letting the light grow stronger and spill out unhindered into the hall. I give myself over, allowing it to wrap around me in a warm caress - a pleasant change from the suddenly cool night - and it pulls me further in.

The portal glimmers like a pond, dead center on the floor, surrounded by vestiges of the life I'm leaving behind. I let my eyes trail around the room, tainted a deep blue by the shimmering light, and stop dead when I see the soft white obi laying over the edge of the bed.

I rush forward, nearly tripping on my own feet in haste, and grip the fabric tight. I press it to my face and inhale deeply; it smells sweet and somewhat wild, like the perfect summer's day.

I let my own blue obi drop to the floor and tie my mother's around my small waist, fastening it in a messy bow before finally stepping up to the edge of the portal. The last sounds of the battle break through the window as the hands of dawn push at the glass, the suns rays poking through like peering eyes, intruding upon my last moments home.

"Goodbye," I whisper, finally stepping over the edge, letting it fully absorb me into the unknown, plunge me into the dark, rip me from my life.

As I fall through the world composed of shifting light, I feel it; the last of my mother's power pushes itself into me, filling me to near bursting. Chakra bubbles beneath my skin, rushing hotly through my veins, and a silvery substance trails from my mouth, rising like bubbles through water, trying to break the surface.

My eyes are suddenly heavy and as they drift closed thoughts run lazily through my head. They leave my mind through my mouth, my ears, my eyes, and weave around me. The words bleed together and slip through my outstretched fingers like sunlight. This thought seems somehow significant, but I can fathom why.

_"Naiya..."_

I feel something pull at my back, fingers in a feather-like glance. I lean back into the abyss and feel a warmth wrap tightly around me, like the kiss of the sun on a warm summers day. I can almost smell the blooming flowers.

_"Naiya..."_

My body is made of lead and I can no longer keep my eyes open for too long. The blood loss, the expelling of power, the gaining of power; it's too much.

_"Naiya, I'll always be here for you."_

I crack my eyes and a soft light wedges its way in. It's a strange gold color rather than the smothering blue I've come to expect. The gold is punctuated by tendrils of black and I push my hands slowly through the thick air to touch the darkness floating around my head. As soon as my fingers graze a soft strand, it's ripped suddenly away, leaving me strangely bare. I feel alone.

My head tilts back with the current, watching as the last traces of retreating thoughts float away from me. Between the muddled words and phrases, I think I can just make out bright, shinning strips of white. A sense of familiarity I can't place fills me and a smile crosses my face as everything fades to a flame-charred black...


	2. sweet lament

**We Stand, Unknown  
**_Chapter 1_

**A/N:** As I do not doubt my dear beta's promise of torture in my immediate future if I don't update, here is my first real chapter. On time for once. Quite a shocker, ne?

**Disclaimer:** I do not own Naruto, but Kishimoto-sama is nice enough to let me borrow.

...

Tinted light sifted through the canopy of leaves overhead, slanting across the forrest floor and falling softly across the still figure of Naiya. Her dark hair was haloed around her and was creating an intricate pattern on the grass, a swirling latticework of black tendrils against a deep green. A garish shade of red stood out shockingly bright against her kimono and a few deep cuts, still leaking a steady thrum of blood, were visible on her limbs which were thrown out at awkward angles around her. She looked much like a broken porcelain doll.

Beneath her lids, Naiya's grey eyes fluttered. Slowly she blinked them open, watching in a drowsy wonder as her surroundings came dancing into view. Her hands found the ground and carefully she pushed herself into a sitting position, wincing at the pain the small movement caused. Her teeth found her bottom lip and she chewed on it thoughtfully as her mind raced around in panicked circles, her entire body throbbing incessantly.

Bracing herself for more pain, Naiya heaved her body upwards, stumbling into a nearby tree for support. Another flash of white-hot pain shot through her and a cry stuck in her throat as something on her back tore and the warm ooze of blood began to flow down the line of her spine. Tears welled up in her stormy eyes and somewhere above her head lightning cracked, streaking across the rapidly darkening sky.

As a light rain began to fall, leaking through the trees slowly, the gimlet-eyed girl began to make her way ungracefully in the direction of what she hoped was civilization. She was acutely aware of the fact that she had no idea where she was or where she'd come from. If she were to be honest with herself, she'd admit that she had no idea even who she was beyond a name. The thought was immensely unsettling, but before she would allow her mind to continue it's full out panic-attack, she knew she needed to find a village. She was loosing a lot of blood fast and already the edges of her sight were fraying and blurring into an inky darkness.

The weather was worsening at an increasing rate and now the rain pounded down to the forrest floor, ripping through the foliage roughly and battering itself against the already worse-for-wear Naiya. She had, at least, found a worn graveled path and therefore knew she was on the right track. She was getting nowhere fast, though, and her energy was draining away quickly.

Finally she could see a streak of color in the distance, a line of yellow and red rising up against the craggy peaks standing sentinel behind it. Naiya's heart quickened and her pace sped for but a moment until the burn of pain outweighed her euphoria of sighting civilization. Her legs finally gave out, turning to water beneath her, and she saw, rather than felt, her body hit the floor. A startled noise kicked off her teeth, echoing in the small clearing, and as her eyes slipped shut she could just make out a distinctly masculine voice and heavy footsteps racing towards her motionless body...

...

A calming warmth, like the caress of the sun on bare skin, filled Naiya as her eyes fluttered open to an unfamiliar surrounding for the second time since she remembered falling through light. But, she thought distantly as she rubbed at her aching temples, that may have been just a dream. Still, she couldn't shake the feeling that maybe, just maybe, she really had drifted through that shifting world of blue and jumbled, silvery words.

Carefully, she pushed the starched white sheet that covered her battered body away, taking note of the fact that her clothing had changed since she had last seen herself.

_Missing clothes are definitely the least of my worries..._

The lacerations that had crisscrossed her skin were bound, the white bandage covering most of her right side and the entirety of her torso. She pulled up the black shirt she had been dressed in and noticed that a dark stain was blossoming out across the bandage. It looked rather dry, though, making Naiya wonder just how long she had been asleep in this strange room.

It looked very much like a hospital; every surface was a sterile white. The bedding, the drapes - pulled back to reveal a dark night sky, a full moon hanging in the corner surrounded by a handful of scattered stars - and even the carpet were the same shade of alarming white. The only color other than her own black hair and stormy grey eyes came from the tattered blue kimono hanging from the doorknob and the oil-slick blackness of the sky.

Blinking blearily, Naiya stood, using the wall to steady her swaying mind. The room tilted around her, spinning in a wide circle beneath her feet, and distantly she felt herself sink to the soft floor, her head banging against the wall she had been using to keep upright.

_Too bad, looks like I'm going to get blood all over this white carpet._

The same, heavy, footsteps came thundering towards her again and the door swung open to reveal a man, his delicate face screwed up in a look of worry. He said something but the words didn't reach her ears correctly and all she heard was a strangled noise and a high-pitched squeak.

Strong arms slid under her and Naiya felt her body shift until her weight rested against a warm chest. She was hardly jostled as she was laid gently back onto the bed and the man's voice drifted towards her through a thick fog, landing harshly in her ears.

"Dear, are you okay?"

Naiya nodded the best she could, trying to ignore the feeling of tearing skin in interest of the man leaning over her. His dark brown hair stuck up in a gravity-defying manner within the confines of its tie and his eyes were a soft black color that bore into hers with a certain intensity that made the urge to look away flare through her. A long scar arched across the bridge of his nose but still he came off as delicate. Motherly, she'd even say.

A pang of sorrow struck at her heart and, startled, she gasped. Naiya laid a single pale hand against her chest and the man, mistaking this as a cry of pain, rushed out of the room and down the hallway. He was back within a few minutes, holding an armful of bandages and some sort of cleansing spray that burned when it came into contact with her wounds.

"How strange," He murmured to himself as he dabbed at the pearly pink skin that stretched across her arm. Other than the discolored skin, there barely a trace of the gash that had cut her arm nearly in two. "Healing more and more every day."

After a few more long, pain-filled, minutes, the man capped the spray and sat back. He was eyeing her critically, making Naiya feel distinctly uncomfortable.

_Especially since he's probably already see me in a state of... undress._

"Can you speak?" He asked finally, pulling up a chair from somewhere. He crossed his ankles and tucked them back, folding his hands across his knees and tilting his head slightly to the side to appraise her like a piece of particularly thought-provoking art.

Naiya cleared her throat to the best of her ability, humming softly under her breath to warm up her long-unused vocal cords. Finally she managed to splutter, "Y-yes. Yes, I can."

A wide smile graced his features, his eyes crinkling at the edges kindly. "Wonderful! Are you thirsty? Hungry? You've been asleep for quite some time."

"For how long, exactly?" She rasped, raising a fine black eyebrow.

"About two weeks."

Naiya leaned back against the wall, eyes wide, slowly digesting this information. Her head was racing with questions, none of which, she realized, she had the answers to. Before she could ask a single one, however, her stomach growled embarrassingly loud and the man was gone in a flutter of hands and the promise of food.

Sighing, Naiya directed her attention to the wide, East facing, window; the only thing worth looking at in the rather mundane room. Still, other than the swollen moon and the silver glimmer of stars, she couldn't see much. The house, apparently, was backed up against the edge of a forrest and the rest of the village was lost in a sea of green. A tree stood just outside her window, casting a shadow across the floor, and somewhere in its branches sat an owl, hooting out a sweet lament for its lost mate. She closed her eyes and listened for a long moment, letting the lilting song wind around her like a tangible thing.

The man finally returned with a steaming plate piled high with an array of brightly colored vegetables and enough rice to feed a small country. He passed it to the ravenous girl along with a pair of chopsticks and she dug in quickly, asking question after question between too-large bites.

Half an hour later, stuffed with both food and information, Naiya once again sat back against the wall. This time, however, her mind was racing with answers. They, unfortunately, were just as hard as the questions to get under control. They flew around the edges of her mind, slipping through her proverbial fingers like running water.

Konoha, ninjas, chakra, Scarecrow, an academy... What have I fallen into?

"Iruka-san," She asked, pushing a lock of black hair out of her face and tucking her legs up beneath her body. "What's going to happen now?"

"Now?" He paused, wringing his hands absently as his tilted to the side again. "Now, you rest."

Iruka bid her a goodnight and took his leave, the door clicking shut behind him quietly. The only light now came from the soft moonlight spilling across the bed in slanted sheets and, in the dark, Naiya found that her thoughts grew stronger and rampant, making her head tilt and spin and whirl. Grasping her head to keep it in place, Naiya slowly sifted through them, one by one.

Unhindered, the ideas and notions she had pushed away when looking for help came rushing back in a tidal wave of doubt, flooding her mind once again with questions she couldn't hope to answer. This time, though, she was sure that Iruka wouldn't be able to help her puzzle them out.

_Why am I here? Where did I come from? Who am I? What in Kami's name happened to me?_

Head throbbing dully, Naiya drifted into an fitful sleep, her ever-changing dreams woven through with images of feathers, shifting blue light, and golden fire licking at her skin...

...

**A/N:** Amnesia. So original, right? Well, it doesn't stick around for too long (only until around the Chuunin exams, I think) so don't fret.

I can promise you, the plot will get good. I've planned it out in such an intricate way that, if executed properly, you might even forget that Naiya isn't really a member of Team 7.  
Which, yes, is also quite original.


	3. breath deep, slow

**We Stand, Unknown  
**_Chapter 2_

**A/N:** Wow, I'm doing quite well on this whole "staying on track" thing, aren't I?

I appreciate those of you who are reading my story, but I'd be far happier if you'd review.  
I need _motivation_, dammit!

**Disclaimer:** I do not own Naruto, but Kishimoto-sama is allowing me free reign.  
A thousand thanks to him.

...

The morning dawned bright and clear, the rising sun reaching its fingers through the thin glass of the window to gently nudge the fitfully slumbering girl. Her hands were wrapped tightly around the material of a sheet, her dark hair spilling out across the white in a shocking contrast, her mouth moving in silent speech. Once or twice a sound was made and something comprehensible came spilling out, but the words were broken and meant nothing.

Iruka smiled absentmindedly at her as he slid the curtains closed, humming a soft tune under his breath, just quiet enough not to wake Naiya. Turning from the window, he found his eye catching on the blue of Naiya's kimono, hanging forlornly on the door. Moving closer, Iruka slid his hand in a feather-like graze across it. Tears were raked deeply through the beautiful material, shredding and fraying the edges, and blood stained parts of it in irreparable damages. It was a shame, really, that he wouldn't be able to return it to its former glory.

Sighing, Iruka let the kimono settle back against the door and dropped his hand to the knob, ready to leave Naiya to her sleep, when something floated to the floor and caught his eye again. Cocking his head slightly to the side, Iruka lifted the small blossom from the floor, cradling it in his hands gently.

The chrysanthemum was wilted around the edges, the soft blue blending seamlessly into a dirty brown, and the left side was completely crushed. From being hidden within the folds of the tattered kimono or from whatever it was that had caused Naiya to be found in such a disastrous condition, he wasn't sure.

Still, battered or no, it was a beautiful flower.

...

The afternoon found Naiya sitting, once again, with her back against the wall and her legs tucked beneath her, head tilted to the side as she listened to Iruka speak in his soft, lilting voice. He wove her tales of brave nins, heroic deaths, and happy endings. Of love and lose, of wars and peace, and of everything between. Naiya, for her part, was just happy to listen to another's voice.

"Who's Sarutobi-sama?" She asked, sipping thoughtfully on the sweet tea Iruka had given her between stories. The brunet looked slightly startled so she elaborated. "You've mentioned him a few times and so I was wondering, who is he?"

"He's the Hokage, Naiya. Don't you know the kages-" He paused, a tiny squeak escaping his lips as the mistake registered. "Right, well, the Hokage, Sarutobi-sama, is one of five Kages - Kaze, Mizu, Rai, Tsuchi, and Ho." Iruka paused, seeming to consider his words carefully. "He's, essentially, the strongest flame burning within the village, the tinder for the next generation, the burning will of Konoha. Do you understand?"

Naiya nodded as her eyes slid shut, her mind drifting slowly through the idea of a flaming man running the village. She wondered, briefly, if she could dump the Mizukage on him before sleep claimed her...

...

Dinners for Naiya were a strange affair.

Propped up against the pillows stacked behind her, torso bandages newly bound just a bit too tightly, she tried to ladle the soup up to her mouth without disturbing the sling Iruka had coaxed her right arm into. She was happy to note, though, that she was ambidextrous and could therefore make use of her left hand to eat.

"Do you want any more?"

Naiya shook her head in response, letting Iruka take the bowl and table from her lap. She had grown flustered when she had realized his intention of serving her in bed but he had insisted, just as he had with the sling on her arm, and she had finally relented.

"Are you sure? There's plenty." Another nod. "Well, I'm going to be in the kitchen cleaning up. If you need anything, don't hesitate to call." He waited for her to nod again before smiling brilliantly at her and disappearing out the door, his footfalls echoing against the walls and away.

Although still slightly unnerved by all of Iruka's attention, over the past week Naiya had grown used to his mothering tendencies. It was a nice feeling, having someone to take care of her.

_Stranger or no... Then again, everything is strange to me now._

Sighing, Naiya settled more fully against the mountain of pillows, cradling her fractured arm against her chest, searching, once again, for the memories she'd forgotten. They sat just out of reach in her mind, taunting her as they skittered into view for a second before taking off, faster than lightning.

Sometimes, in her dreams, she could see that shifting world of blue again, could read some of the retreating words flowing from her mouth, ears, eyes in a glimmering line of memory. Often Naiya would awake with half-formed sentences on her lips, struggling to break free from her iron-trap mind. But, for the life of her, she couldn't remember what she'd been about to say.

Images of water, white blooming across the surface in rippling waves, haunted her. Naiya couldn't decipher the exact meaning of this, but she was sure that it wasn't just a creation of her medicine-addled mind, that it held some significance. The same went for the golden pools of sunlight that danced across her skin. In her sleep she'd reach out for one of the shafts of light, trying to catch it in her hands, but it always flickered and died.

Then she'd awake, feeling bare and alone and _cold._

...

"Can I take this sling off now? My arm feels fine."

Iruka resisted the urge to roll his eyes as he slid his fingers down the girl's injured arm, applying a soft pressure as he went. Nasty greenish bruises still littered her pale skin in patches, but the bone seemed to have knit itself back together correctly, leaving hardly a trace of the fracture behind.

It amazed Iruka how fast Naiya healed. The lacerations on her arms and legs were gone, leaving only fine lines of darker skin and spectacularly colored bruises behind, and now her arm had mended itself in just a little more than a month. Even for a nin, it was astonishing.

Really, the only thing that wasn't healing, was her memory.

"Yeah, alright. You seemed to have healed enough." She smiled and tore the sling from around her neck, tossing it into a far corner of the room. Iruka scowled halfheartedly and retrieved it, folding it up and placing it on the bedside table. "If it starts to hurt again, you better put the sling back on. Got it?"

Naiya only smiled in response, nodding her head as she moved her arm up and down to test movement. It was extremely stiff from lack of use, but she was happy to note that there was an absence of excruciating pain. A silly smile spread across her face.

"So you're feeling better, I take it?"

"A little sore but much better, yes." She paused, biting at her thin lip thoughtfully. The afternoon rain pounded out a steady beat against the window and grey light cast a murky shadow across the room, washing Naiya's eyes of color until they looked nearly white. "Thank you, Iruka-san. For letting me stay here and for taking care of me and, well, for everything... It means a lot to me..." A dark red tint spread across her cheeks, heating up the back of her neck as well. Iruka cooed.

The brunet opened his mouth to speak but only a strangled squeak came tumbling out. Clamping it shut, he smiled brilliantly instead, patting Naiya's head softly. His eye's were a glistening black, softer than Naiya had seen them. After a long, rather awkward silence, he finally cleared his throat. "Yes, well, it's time for dinner. Are you hungry?" He paused briefly, as if waiting for her response, but before Naiya could say a word he continued on. "You know what, I'll just whip up everything in the kitchen. Yes. Yes, that's what I'll do."

Then he was gone, the door clicking shut behind him, the kimono fluttering in his wake.

Naiya couldn't help but smile.

...

_Wow, it's not nearly as white as I thought it'd be..._

Naiya's eyes flicked around as she made her way down the hallway and into the wide, open living room. The carpeting had ended when she had stepped from her room, a beautiful dark wood now making up the floor, and so, apparently, had Iruka's fixation on white. Flashes of color dotted the room in the form of flowers, pillows, and even an entire wall that was painted a bright, cheery yellow.

A large bay window was framed by the same shade of yellow curtains, pulled open wide to reveal a smugly shinning sun. The clouds had parted for the day, the rain briefly losing it's battle against the sun.

Naiya smiled and spun in a small circle, letting the warmth of the sunlight spill over her in golden sheets. It felt nice after so many days of the cold, persistent rain.

"It's so pretty, Iruka-san."

"You think?" He mirrored her smile, guiding her to the blue couch placed before a long table. Two cups of steaming tea were set out, a sweet scent rising in heady waves. Iruka lifted them, handing one to Naiya before sipping his own thoughtfully. "I was thinking maybe I ought to paint."

"No, I like the yellow wall!"

Iruka's smile grew, his eyes crinkling at the edges. "I meant the walls in your room."

This time it was Naiya's turn to make an excuse to leave the room, eyes glossy and voice cracking.

...

Naiya ate her dinner at the table that night, Iruka sitting across from her, smiling and laughing and completely at ease. She'd only spent two conscious weeks in his company but still she felt a strong bond with the man. She chalked it up to all that was him - mothering tendencies, neuroticism, amazing cooking, sweet words - rather than admit to herself that it was because he was all she knew.

The rain was back yet again, tapping lightly on the roof in a steady staccato that blended and meshed into the sounds of silverware scraping against plates until they created some semblance of a song. Naiya found herself humming under her breath along to it, wondering why Nature couldn't just make up her mind.

_At least she sounds pretty. Far better than it'd sound if it were me traipsing around on the roof._

"I go back to the Academy again tomorrow." Iruka said at last, breaking the rain punctuated silence.

"Oh."

"I can't take forever off, y'know." He smiled jokingly but his eyes were dark and concerned. His hands were folded on the table top, clenching and unclenching. Naiya wasn't quite sure what to make of it.

"Oh." She said again, her mind supplying her with little more. Naiya knew enough to have figured that, at some point, Iruka would have to leave the house and return to his job. Still she felt blind sighted by it all. "I suppose not."

Another, less comfortable, silence settled over the them like a tangible thing. The scraping stopped, the humming stopped, and the rain, which had sounded like a soothing song, now sounded more like a mocking voice.

_Alone alone alone alone..._

Hot tears sprang to her eyes but Naiya pushed them away, plastering a smile to her face. She could only hope it didn't look too much like a grimace.

Iruka cooed soothingly, reaching across the table to pat her hand. "Hush, Naiya, no need to overreact." She bristled, narrowing her watery eyes at him. He backtracked. "What I mean is, you're coming with me."

"Wait, what? Coming with you?" Her heart beat double time, drowning out the sounds of the rain.

"I talked to Hokage-sama earlier and he said that you were to stay in the village and that, of course, you were to be enrolled into the academy as well."

"Oh." Naiya repeated, a wide smile taking over her face, replacing the grimace. Her eyes glimmered like molten silver, two handfuls of moonglow set into her face.

She felt stupid for reacting as she had now and a red-hot blush crept over the back of neck and the tops of her cheeks. Iruka had taken care of her for a month, had become her only friend and, strangely enough, like a mother. He wouldn't leave her. She was stupid to have doubted him.

"Thank you, Iruka-san."

There was a decidedly mischievous smirk on his face as he walked passed, his hand reaching out to tug gently on a lock of dark hair. "Iruka-sensei." He scolded.

"Iruka-sensei."

...

**A/N:** A little bit jerky, like drabbles put together to make a chapter, I know. I just figured it'd be better to show Iruka and Naiya's growing relationship in this manner since I honestly doubt you guys want a mess of chapters on just that.

Next chapter is introduction chapter; Naruto, Sasuke, Sakura, and possibly even a visit from a certain white-haired, masked, sensei. Look forward to it!

Leave me a review?


	4. first impressions

**We Stand, Unknown**  
_Chapter 3_

**A/N: **Tech week for any play is hell. Just saying.

This chapter is rather boring in that it has no action. Still.

But, my lovely readers, I promise that soon everything will kick up because, yes, Haku and Zabuza are indeed waiting (rather impatiently) in the wings.  
I have absolutely no patience with the Zabuza saga, though, so get ready for a very bumpy ride as I change up the plot. A lot.

Cheddar.

**Disclaimer:** I do not own Naruto. I am, however, having tons of fun in my corner of the Naruto AU sandbox.

...

"Are you sure I should be allowed to carry these?" Naiya asked skeptically, once again testing the balance of a kunai on the tips of her fingers. The weapon wasn't very heavy but it still felt rather unsafe in her hands; she'd already dropped a few this morning, nicking up both herself and Iruka's living room until, spluttering, he'd ushered her outside.

"No, but you'll have to," Iruka sighed and slid into a sitting position, slumped back against a tree trunk. The brunet was sporting more than a few cuts and his patience was waning rapidly. "Kami help us all."

Scowling, Naiya drew back her arm, pointing the eye of the knife's handle at her target. Keeping her palm flat as instructed, she flung the blade with enough spin so that it turned in midair and struck just above a horrified Iruka's head. Yelping, he rolled out of the way and came up in a defensive crouch, glaring at his charge.

The kunai was quivering slightly but the blade was well embedded into the bark. Naiya cheered, jumping and pumping a fist in celebration, her dark hair leaping up around her head like an off-kilter halo. "I did it!"

Iruka straightened up, righting his clothing as he did so. His shirt was ripped from shoulder to mid-abdomen from one of his and Naiya's earlier sparring matches, baring a strip of tanned skin, and a shallow cut was visible between tattered ends of fabric: Naiya's first success of the morning.

"Finally," he muttered, yanking the knife free from the abused tree. He held it out to Naiya and, gingerly, she took it, returning the kunai to the pouch at her hip, already laden with various weapons.

"So...?" Naiya prompted, twirling a shuriken absently around her finger. She had taken to using the honed stars far quicker than the kunai, hitting each mark exactly, but Iruka still eyed it nervously. It glinted innocently in the pre-dawn light.

"Yes, Naiya, you can join class now."

Another whoop of joy and Naiya flung herself into a startled Iruka's arms before disappearing into the house, the double tails of her obi trailing behind her like a white banner.

For the past three weeks, as Autumn begrudgingly gave way to an early Winter, Naiya had attended the lowest classes at the Academy. There she'd learned the basics of the three types of jutsu, proper stance when doing hand to hand combat, had bruised herself beyond all belief, and had made friends with a bunch of eight year olds that, quite frankly, she hoped she'd never have to see again.

After much complaint, Iruka had finally relented and allowed Naiya prove her advancement in levels before class.

I can't believe the 'graduation exam' was to land a hit on my teacher...

Snorting indelicately, Naiya snatched up her jacket from her now redecorated and thoroughly messy room before slipping back down the hall, her footfalls echoing loudly.

"Let's go, Naiya. It won't do for the teacher to be late," Iruka, now donning an unripped shirt, scolded. He tapped his fingers against his forearm impatiently as Naiya pulled on a pair of blue sandals, jumping around on one foot to hook the shoe's strap behind her heel. "Hurry up, now."

The morning was cool and crisp, a light layer of frost dusting the horizon, tinting the world an icy blue. Leaves dressed in their finest colors littered the streets, crunching noisily underfoot, and the sky was a turmoil of grays and steely blues punctuated by roiling masses of darkened clouds.

Light struggled through the tightly-laced fingers of those clouds, dripping down in long ribbony streams and swathing Naiya in a white glow, washing her gray eyes of color so that they matched the sky. Her dark hair, too, was casting off bits of light as she skipped ahead, leaping over puddles from the previous night's rain, watching her reflection flit across the surface.

After a few long moments of silence, the cobblestone streets disappearing around corners as the high roof of Konoha's Ninja Academy grew closer and closer, Iruka finally cleared his throat.

"Are you sure you want to join my class, Naiya? Everyone will be far more advance."

"Gee, thanks for the support, Iruka-sensei," Naiya grumbled as she landed. The heel of her shoe clipped the edge of the puddle and a shower of water was sent into into the air, glimmering like starlight against the charcoal sky before sinking back into the pool.

"All I'm saying is, maybe you should spend a little while longer in the lower classes. It might do you good."

"But I already know all of that stuff. It's just locked away in," She poked the side of her head, tangling a finger in one of the loose locks of her hair. "Here."

Iruka snorted, smiling gently and almost proudly. "Alright, Naiya, if you're sure... Well, it's okay with me."

He pulled a key from one of the many pockets decorating his forrest-green vest as the two arrived at the Academy and stuck it in the lock. The double doors swung open in a wide arc, a gust of warm air slipping out to great them, chasing away the biting cold.

The gimlet-eyed girl smiled brilliantly, face alight with excitement, and gave Iruka another quick, bone-crushing hug. He returned her smile in kind and then she was gone, weaving through the high pillars dotting the room and skipping up the far left staircase... and tripping, falling flat on her face.

Iruka sighed tiredly, shaking his head. "Dear Kami, she's going to die."

...

"Class, this is Naiya. Naiya, this is the class. She's a new student, a transfer from another village." Iruka patted his charge on the head, ruffling her hair affectionately, before shoving her in the direction of an empty seat. "Shikamaru-kun, you're to look after her, got it? Don't you 'troublesome' me, boy. Do as you're told."

Nara Shikamaru, a tired looking boy in the second row, reluctantly nodded and gave a lazy half-smile to Naiya as she took the seat to his left.

"Now that all of this is settled, you can stop it with your rumors." He eyed a pretty blonde girl sitting in the back as he said this, causing her to clamp her mouth shut mid-conspiracy theory. "Naiya is not a daimyo's daughter here to choose her betrothed, a spy for the hokage, nor is she's any of the jounin's illegitimate love-child. Are we clear, Ino?"

Blushing, the blonde nodded and straightened up, folding her hands under her chin in a picture of innocence. Naiya could almost see the halo ringing her head.

Iruka rolled his eyes. "Alright, everyone. Outside for sparring practice." As the class rose, making their way to the door with poorly disguised moans of protest, Iruka paused. He smirked darkly, in a way not so befitting a sweet little school teacher. "Oh, and try not to wound Naiya too badly on her first day here."

Naiya gulped, fighting the urge to duck behind the pineapple-haired boy as Iruka fixed his dark gaze on her. A deceptively benign smile stole across his face.

"First up, Kiba and Naiya."

...

"Could that boy have been any _faster?" _Naiya whined absently as she and her 'tour guide' made their way out of the academy doors. She tossed a quick two fingered salute to Iruka who was leaning out of an open window... and winced. The arm she had just lifted was littered with smarting blue and purple bruises from the spar with the Inuzuka boy, thrown into high relief from the light trickling down from between the dark storm clouds. She poked one experimentally. "Ooh, that hurts."

Shikamaru snorted, tipping his head back up to the sky. He wondered absently whether it would rain again today as a grey mass of clouds slipped over the sun, smothering the light effectively.

"So where are we going, Shikamaru-san?" she asked as they turned a corner.

"I was planning on going home but I guess we can walk around town." He shrugged, looking very much bored.

"Town? I haven't been there yet."

He raised a brow skeptically. "Wait, how long have you been in Konoha?"

Naiya kicked up a spray of water absently as they walked. It splattered back against her, dotting her black pants with darker patches of moisture. "About two months. But I've only been able to... do anything for a few weeks. I was sort of laid up in bed..."

His brow climbed higher. "Weeks?" he asked. "and you've only joined the class today?"

She blushed, turning her stormy eyes to the houses lining the streets. They were rather expansive, reaching up high into the murky sky. "I was taking the lower level classes. With eight year olds," she explained.

"Eight?" Shikamaru snorted again, cracking a smile at her. "That's five years younger than us."

"Yeah, and they were stronger than me," she admitted, poking another bruise. "I'm so going to die here."

"I've made it pretty far without dying so I'm sure you'll be fine." He paused, casting a look at her arms. Tattered fabric hung from the torn edges of her left sleeve, brushing lightly over brilliantly colored bruises. "Bruised, but fine."

Naiya smiled appreciatively at this small bit of encouragement and the pair made their way into town, stopping occasionally as the wide eyed girl was distracted by a stand, the vendors calling attention to their wares. Begrudgingly, Shikamaru allowed the girl to tug him down street after street by his hand, muttering a "troublesome" every so often.

...

Half a week later found the two academy students lounging back in the front lawn of Iruka's house, Naiya munching happily on an apple after a long day of sparring. She was attempting to engage the Nara boy in conversation and, thus far, was not succeeding.

She had found out rather quickly that if she wanted to be entertained, she had best let Shikamaru lay down. Preferably in a place where he could sky-gaze.

Despite popular belief, Shikamaru could be talkative... one just had to get him talking about the right things. Like clouds.

"I think it looks more like an apple."

"Naiya, I'm not having this argument. _Again."_

Ignoring him, Naiya held her apple, now missing a good chunk, up in the air for comparison. She shut one eye and positioned it next to the cloud she was considering.

"See, Shika-kun," she said, adopting the annoying nickname she had heard his mother use on him when she'd visited his house for dinner the night before. "It's definitely an apple."

"Naiya-"

"Not an orange. It looks nothing like an orange."

He rolled his eyes and slung an arm over his face, groaning. "This is stupid. We're literally arguing over apple and oranges." He paused. "No, actually, _you're _arguing over apples and oranges."

She stuck her tongue out at him despite the fact that he wouldn't see it and tipped back into the grass, sprawling out her arms and accidently tossing her apple. "Crap," she grumbled, pushing herself to her feet and chasing after the rolling fruit.

The apple finally came to a stop when it hit a foot. Startled, Naiya raised her gaze up the leg and over the torso - both clad in a grating shade of orange - to the whiskered face of the foot's owner.

"Uzumaki-san?" she asked, cocking her head to the side.

Naruto smiled down at her and scratched the back of his head habitually, ruffling his hair boyishly. "Naiya-chan? Ne, isn't this Iruka-sensei's house? He told me to come by..." He looked around confusedly and spotted the boy who had yet to move from his spot on the lawn. "Hi Shikamaru!"

The Nara raised a hand in greeting but otherwise ignored the arrival of the obnoxious blonde.

"This is Iruka-sensei's house, yes. I live here with him," Naiya explained cautiously. It wasn't that she disliked the Uzumaki boy, far from it really, she just hadn't had the chance to get to know him in her days spent in his class.

It also didn't help that, whenever she saw him, she felt the painful need to retch.

"Let me go get him," she said finally, swallowing deeply at the acid licking up her throat. "Shika-kun, keep Uzumaki-"

"Naruto, call me Naruto," the blonde interjected, smiling widely at her, his blue eyes gleaming in the evening light.

"Oh, alright," she returned the smile. "Shika-kun, keep Naruto-kun busy for a minute."

"Troublesome."

That done, she slipped away and into the house, apple long forgotten on the front lawn.

"Iruka-sensei?"

"In here, Naiya," she heard the man say from somewhere in the vicinity of the kitchen. She slid the door open, revealing a mess of pans and one flustered looking Iruka.

Despite being an amazing cook and a neurotic clean freak, Iruka couldn't keep a thing clean as he cooked. The entirety of the kitchen, as well as the chuunin himself, was covered in what appeared to be a mix of rice, flour, soy sauce, and chopped vegetables. On the counter, a rice cooker ticked away the seconds, bubbling water spilling over the sides and into a bowl he had set beneath it. Still, it smelled delicious and Naiya's stomach rumbled at the prospect of dinner that night.

"Having technical difficulties?" she questioned, raising a brow.

Iruka spluttered indignantly for a moment before fisting his hand on his hip and narrowing his eyes slightly. "Is there a reason you're bugging me, Naiya?" he asked playfully, wringing a towel in his hands before snapping it in her general direction. "If not, I suggest you get out if the 'danger zone.'"

She giggled before remembering why she had come in the first place. "Oh, uh, Naruto-kun is here. He said that you told him to come by?"

"Oh, right," Iruka nodded distractedly as he set some broth to boiling on the stove. Naiya inhaled and tried to guess what he was cooking. "Invite him to stay for dinner, will you? I'm worried about his starch intake. He really only eats ramen, you know," the brunet chuckled and straightened up, wiping his hands on the white (stained) apron he wore. "Shikamaru-kun is welcome to stay as well."

Naiya swallowed and nodded, her stomach fluttering uncomfortably. "Alright, Iruka-sensei. I'll ask."

...

**A/N:** So much for being on time. And for an introduction chapter.

I did, however, kinda start the intro for a certain plot device, so I guess it still counts.  
Kinda. Maybe. Not really.

Next chapter will be on rush order.


	5. arsenal of daggers

**We Stand, Unknown**  
_Chapter 4_

**A/N:** I'm late, I'm late, for a very important date!

**Disclaimer:** I do not own Naruto. I'm loving messing with the lovely characters of the series, though. A thousand thanks to Kishimoto-sama!

...

"Are you sure you're okay, Naiya-chan?" Naruto asked, leaning forward to press a hand to the girl's forehead. "You're looking a little... green."

"I-I'm fine, Naruto-kun," she said, sliding back in her seat, offering a small smile to take away some of the sting. "Really, I am." she insisted at his look of disbelief.

He nodded slowly and folded his hands on the kitchen table, clenching and unclenching them absently.

Silently, Naiya cursed Shikamaru as the blonde continued his fidgeting. He knew how she felt around Naruto, she having confessed to her urge to vomit in his presence to the boy days previous. Still, he'd left, smirking at her all the while.

"Bastard."

"What?"

Naiya jumped slightly, startled. "Oh, uh, nothing, Naruto-kun," she stammered, blushing and laughing awkwardly, scratching at her own head nervously.

Iruka, after ushering Naiya and Naruto indoors and bidding Shikamaru a good night, had rushed off to the store to buy a missing ingredient. As he'd left, he called over his shoulder for the two to take a seat at the kitchen table and "get to know one another" until his return.

Thus, Naiya's current predicament.

"So, Naiya-chan, where did you come from? I mean, before coming to Konoha. Iruka mentioned that you were from another village, but he didn't mention which."

Naiya bit her lip in thought, wondering how much information to disclose to the boy. She had already told the story of her arrival to Shikamaru, having been cleared by Iruka and, in turn, the Hokage (who had fabricated her transfer in the first place), but she wasn't exactly sure how to handle the situation.

Sarutobi-sama, the sandaime hokage of Konoha, had met with Naiya a week before, in the early hours before class at the academy. He had been kind to her, smiling in a grandfatherly way, his eyes wrinkling at the edges, wizened with time.

"Sit," he told her as she stumbled into his office, sleep still clinging to the edges of her senses, dulling them quite a bit. "Let us speak for a while, yes?"

She had done as asked, dropping into the chair set before his wide, neat, desk. It was obviously made for a taller person, Naiya's feet swinging in the air above the hardwood floor.

"Iruka-san has told me of his discovery, Naiya-chan, as well as of your memory difficulties," he said after a moment, settling down in his own, high-backed chair. He folded his hands on the desk, resting his chin on his entwined fingers, staring into Naiya's stormy eyes his his own wise ones, darker in color than the girl's. "I have allowed you to stay in the village thus far only because of Iruka-san's assurances that you are of no harm to anyone."

Naiya swallowed hard, dread settling down low in her stomach.

"I know not this personally and, although this may be a mistake, I trust his judgement and so will continue to allow your stay."

She released a breath she wasn't aware of holding, slumping forward, relaxing slightly.

"However, Naiya-chan, I can't have you telling everyone how it is you came to be living here. It would cause unnecessary worry and problems in my village that I cannot permit. Iruka has told everyone that you are a transfer from another village under my request and I ask that you continue to keep that story. Is that clear?"

She nodded rapidly, her bangs flicking out and over her eyes, elation burning in her heart. She could stay!

"If anyone asks, you are Iruka's relative, his niece, come to stay here in Konoha from Mirror Country."

She had nodded, thanked him profusely, and that had, surprisingly, been that. He bade her goodbye and good luck and she excused herself, rushing off to the academy for another day of training.

Naiya shook her head sharply, taking herself out of her reverie, and smiled at the waiting boy. "I came from the Country in the Mirror," she said. "I'm Iruka-sensei's niece, which is why I stay here."

"I didn't know Iruka-sensei had any siblings."

"Yeah, well, my mom is his, uh, sister," she lied, shifting uncomfortably in her seat. The room felt suddenly too small, too hot, too closed off. Her heart skipped a beat.

Naiya stood, her chair screeching loudly against the hardwood flooring of the dinning room as it skidded backwards, making her flinch involuntarily. "I'm going to get some tea. Are you thirsty?"

"A little, yeah."

He stood as well and followed her into the kitchen, lingering around the edge of the messy stove, inhaling the heady scent of the cooking kitsune udon. "Smells good."

Naiya nodded, distractedly, as she poured two glasses of chilled green tea. She hadn't expected him to follow her and now she was stuck in a smaller room with the boy, the need to retch growing stronger by the moment.

"Here, Naruto-kun," she said, holding out one of the cups to him. He reached for it, fingers brushing lightly against Naiya's as he did so.

She tensed, a sudden, intense feeling washing through her, sending electric sparks racing each other over her skin and down her spine. A flash of red streaked her vision, dark like blood, glowing like the light of dawn, and she would have dropped the glass had Naruto not have already taken it.

The blonde, for his part, seemed completely unaffected and unaware of Naiya, draining the cup of tea in one go and pouring himself another.

"Naiya, Naruto, I'm back!" Iruka called from the front room, startling Naiya from her state of unawares and jerking her back into reality. She pushed away from the counter, having slumped against it for support, and followed the blonde back into the dining room, quaking slightly.

"Oh! There you are," Iruka smiled at them, walking past and into the kitchen, holding a white plastic bag with the red market's insignia displayed proudly on it. "Did you two get along while I was out?"

"Of course, Iruka-sensei!" Naruto called back, peering through the doorway. "Is dinner almost ready? I'm starved! I only had two bowls of ramen for lunch!"

The chuunin laughed and, after a moment, emerged from the kitchen holding a boiling pot of udon. He placed it onto the raised, wooden middle of the table on top of a heating pad and motioned for the two to retake their seats. "Hungry, Naiya?"

The gimlet-eyed girl smiled as best she could, still distracted, and nodded. "Starved."

...

The rest of the night passed uneventfully, Naruto leaving after three great helpings of the delicious udon and Iruka retiring to his room not long following with a stack of papers from the academy.

Naiya took this time to draw herself a bath, now sitting on the edge of the tub, staring into the water as it filled.

Her skin was still risen in bumps, a shock slipping down the line of her spine every so often, and her mind didn't stray too far from that moment.

She could have sworn that, behind the red, she could see something. A village, familiar yet completely foreign to her. It's buildings, tall and grande, rose high against a backdrop of velvet sky, handfuls of pin-prick stars lighting the expanse.

No mater how hard she thought, Naiya couldn't place where she had seen it or how it related to Naruto. _If,_ she thought,_ it even does._

She shut off the faucet and slid into the hot water, steam clouding up the bathroom mirror and hanging heavy in the air around her. She sighed and relaxed, the tension slipping away from her muscles, it's departure leaving her drained and light.

As she sunk further under, lashes fluttering shut, the dark tendrils of her hair floated around her, twining around her torso, around her wrist, ticking the sensitive skin. She felt her body rise slightly, until she was laying nearly atop the water's surface. Her eyes snapped opened, but, when she looked, all was normal.

_I must still be on edge_, she thought, shaking her head sharply, sending her hair snapping around her under the water, like the tails of some forgotten beast. _Yeah, that must be it._

...

"Naiya, get up!"

Grumbling to herself, the girl rolled over onto her side and tucked her knees up against her chest, yawning slightly before settling back into a light sleep. Her inky black hair was tangled around her head, clothes askew from a night of fitful rest.

It wasn't until an hour or so before did she finally slip into a dreamless state, allowing her mind a bit of peace, no longer plagued by flashes of red interlaced with sheets of dark sky and shafts of light spilling onto a now familiar building. It often made an appearance in her dreams, ever since she'd seen the village that first night Naruto stayed for dinner. That was two days ago and she'd yet to get a decent night of sleep since.

"Naiya," Iruka called, softer, opening the door and stepping in. "Naiya, are you feeling okay?"

The girl didn't move, only made a small noise of protest, disturbing the long arch of bangs slanting across her forehead.

Iruka sighed and sat down at the foot of her bed, absently beginning to fold the clothes strewn about the room.

After she had been well enough to go outside, Iruka had taken the girl to get a few pairs of pants and some shirts from a local shops on the outskirts of town. She'd taken the trip in one of Iruka's shirts, belted at the waist by her white obi so that it resembled more of a dress than a much too long top.

Once finished folding and putting the clothes away into the small, white dresser, Iruka went back to sit at the edge of the bed, running a hand absently through the girl's long hair.

She stirred slightly, a sigh escaping her pursed lips, and he thought he could hear her murmur a name. It sounded suspiciously like "Naruto" and Iruka felt a smile pull at his lips.

"Naiya," he said, raising his voice as he continued to work the knots from her dark locks. "It's time to wake up. You have sparring practice this morning."

Naiya groaned in response and burrowed deeper into the cocoon of blankets tucked around her, her voice muffled by pillow; "I don't wanna."

"Come on, koi. Sasuke-kun won't wait for you. You've seen him in class."

She made another noise of distaste, but emerged from the cover of her bedspread. Her hair slipped down over her shoulders as she moved, tickling the stretch of bared skin below her shoulder blades.

"I'm up, I'm up."

Iruka smiled at her fondly, patting her head softly. "Good girl." She stuck her tongue out at him. "Breakfast in ten. Sasuke-kun is coming to pick you up in," he checked the clock sitting on her dresser. "a little under half an hour."

"Which one is he again?" Naiya asked as she ran a brush through her hair, quickly tying it back. Two longer strands of hair slipped forward to frame her face, along with the dark streaks of bangs that sat just below her brows, the contrast against her light eyes making them shine brilliantly.

"He's at the top of the class. Dark hair, dark eyes." Iruka explained, watching the girl for any sign of recognition. Nothing. "He's normally surrounded by a flock of girls."

"Oh! Tori-san!" She nodded rapidly. "I know who you're talking about."

"Bird?" Iruka raised a brow, but decided against questions. He was sure he didn't want to know.

Shaking his head at the now smiling girl, he left her to dress, retreating to the relative safety of the kitchen.

Naiya hummed to herself softly, absently, as she shucked her sleep shorts and tank top and pulled on a pair of dark cargos, abundant in pockets, and a long, deep blue shirt. Despite Iruka's earlier protests, she also tied the white obi around her waist, wrapping it twice and tying it off with a messy bow, it's double tails swishing about the back of her knees as she moved around the room.

Iruka had also bought her a small half-jacket that rose to her mid-stomach after Kiba shredded her first. It was made of a stiff, sturdy material that could hold up against a sparring practice with even the most excitable of nin. It felt rough against Naiya's skin, but, since the weather was still so volatile, she dealt with it, pulling it on over the thin material of her top.

"Hungry?" Iruka asked as the girl bounded into the kitchen, sliding into a chair at the table.

She nodded and gratefully accepted the plate of cut apples Iruka placed before her. She popped a slice into her mouth, wiping the juice away from the edge of her mouth with her sleeve. Iruka scolded her, shoving a napkin into her hand before walking back to the kitchen, muttering to himself.

Naiya smiled. It felt so natural to be in this house, in this village. Days were becoming easier and easier for her, even as the nights deteriorated into nothing more than a restless toss and turn, the scant hours of sleep she managed interlaced with nightmares and reminders of the past she couldn't seem to recall, no matter how she tried.

A knock at the door jerked the girl from her thoughts, sending her skidding to her feet. She shoved another two slices of apple into her mouth and chugged the last few dregs of tea, the liquid sending a flare of warmth through her as she made a mad dash for the door.

She glanced up at the clock hanging on the wall. Exactly 7:30.

Punctual, she thought, opening the heavy wooden door. A rush of cold air instantly elbowed its way in, wrapping around Naiya, running chilly fingertips down her spine, making it prickle uncomfortably.

"Hn."

She smiled at the boy standing on the porch, bowing quickly to hide her blush at being caught off guard. "Ah, hello Uchiha-san."

He grunted in, what she assumed, greeting before turning. "Ready?" he asked, voice gruff. She narrowed her eyes at the back of his head.

"Yeah," she pulled the door closed after calling a goodbye to Iruka and followed the boy down the streets of Konoha, to the training fields that sat just beyond the small stretch of village that sat between Iruka's house and the Academy.

The morning was still cool, but Nature seemed to be in a better mood, only reaching her icy hands out now and again to tangle up Naiya's hair. The sun sat on the horizon, climbing higher into the sky, it's rays providing just enough heat to keep the morning lovely.

Nice weather for an ass kicking, Naiya thought, flinching at the thought of what Iruka's 'best student' could do to her. There'll be a nice long bath waiting for me at the end of this, that's for sure.

"Ready?" Sasuke asked, again. His vocabulary seemed to consist of only that one word.

"Hand to hand?" He nodded. "No weapons?" He nodded again and so she undid her kunai pouch and tossed it to the side, Sasuke's following hers soon after.

She turned to face the boy and mirrored him, sinking into a defensive crouch. She held her hands up, at the ready, and let her muscles loosen until she could feel every inch of her body relaxing, oddly at ease.

It all felt natural to her. The stance she took was engraved into her muscles, like she'd been doing it her entire life. She couldn't help but wonder if she had been, trying to conjure up a memory of a younger her, crouched in wait for the tall, willowy figure before her to make a move.

Her vision flickered slightly, between Sasuke's tensed form and the willow-woman, and she shut her eyes tight. She worked on calming her breath, in and out. Then she heard it, crystal clear; the slight whir of leaves stirring, the crunch of a step, the intake of a breath.

He moved.

Her eyes snapped open and she threw her arms to the side to catch his blow, dodging out of the way, using his passing momentum to fling herself back. By the time she could regain even footing, he was rushing at her again.

His fist struck her hard on the shoulder and, hissing in pain, she ducked down, swiping a foot out. He leapt over it easily and she had to roll away from his leg as it came down on her. It still caught her calf, causing her to misgauge her speed and slam into a training post.

She gasped, the impact knocking the breath from her, but quickly found her footing and raised into another crouch, poised for motion.

He didn't move, just watched her, eyeing her critically with his black abyss eyes. She felt another blush form, though she knew it was stupid, and tilted her head down, so her bangs fell across her eyes, allowing her to watch him just as intently.

He was looser than before, more relaxed now that he had gauged her ability. He had watched her in class during the weeks she spent there, and, between then and now, had gathered that, although not as experienced as his fellow classmates, she had a surprisingly acute natural instinct. She used her senses more than her brain, making her a worthy opponent. Or, she would be if she learned to handle her body correctly.

Not one for conversation, Sasuke merely barked out another "Ready?" before attacking, not bothering to wait for a response.

Naiya, using the giant training pillar pressed against her back to her advantage, flipped up onto it, causing Sasuke to strike only wood, splintering it slightly. She leapt from the top and flipped down behind him, tucking her body up so she landed low to the ground, quickly sweeping her leg under him, once again.

He wasn't near as prepared for it this time and she caught him across the back of his legs, sending him to his knees. She went to slash down at his neck with her hand, but he was already gone. He stood at the top of the training pillar, once against regarding her cooly.

She relaxed her stance and met him look for look, no longer intimidated now that adrenaline rushed through her veins and every one of her senses were on high alert, just aching for more.

"Again?" she asked, her slightly ragged breath making her voice soft and windy.

He nodded and the fight continued.

So enthralled by the dodge, jab, and slash of the spar as they were, both Naiya and Sasuke failed to notice the figures crouched, concealed, in the trees of the surrounding forrest.

"She's not bad, eh, Kakashi?"

The white haired man nodded, his one visible eye keen as he watched her lithe form blur slightly, tucking into a roll to avoid a flying fist from the prodigy Uchiha.

"Indeed."

Iruka beamed, chest puffed slightly. "I think she'll make a good nin, don't you?"

Kakashi didn't say anything, just continued to observe the rapidly moving bodies below, the Hokage's words turning over and over in his mind.

_"What do you say to a four man cell, Kakashi?"_

After a long moment, he nodded.

...

**A/N:** Ha! Introduction galore!

No Sakura as of yet, but don't count the little pinky out yet. She'll come along soon enough, fangirl-ing tendencies and all.

Next chapter will be chakra control in regards to ninjutsu, academy graduation, and Team 7 formation. Look for it!

**K/N:** Yay, two chapters in a row! Although, really, I can't take credit for either of them...


	6. catch me, if you can

**We Stand, Unknown  
**_Chapter 5_

**A/N: **It's not too late, it's never too late!  
No excuses are good enough. I fail, simple as that. Please don't be mad!

**Disclaimer:** I don't own Naruto. The lovely Kishimito-sama has all rights, although VIZ in the dogpile somewhere, too, I'm sure.

...

Naiya had never been so sore in her entire life. Or in the life she could remember, anyways.

She lay, panting, next to Sasuke, who merely scowled at her and ordered her gruffly to _get up_.

"I can't, you stupid slave driver," she snapped, not caring if it was rude. Four days had passed since their first spar and, although fun at first, she was so completely done with being pinned to the ground by the smirking Uchiha prodigy. "If I move, I'm going to _break_."

His abyss gaze narrowed at her, his hand clenching into a tight, white-knuckled fist at his side. That meant danger, she knew, but she only stuck her tongue out at him and rolled over onto her side, taking a long, slow swallow of water before dumping the rest onto her head. Beads of water slipped down from her dark hair onto her face, continuing further onto her shirt, her jacket long ago shed.

"Naiya. Get up."

She shook out her hair instead, sending droplets flying at the still glaring Uchiha boy.

She smiled in an obviously fake apologetic manner and tipped back her head. The sun had been shining rather triumphantly for the day, beginning its job of thawing out the frozen world. It felt nice on her skin, sending warmth flooding through her veins.

"Fine, fine," she said finally, pushing herself to her feet, dragging a hand through her damp tresses. "But I'm not doing anymore sparing. We have afternoon class today and I'd rather not be the walking dead."

Sasuke grunted and turned his back to her, gathering up his supplies. He hooked the pouch around his leg, adjusting it so that it was at easy reach, and pulled a kunai free, twirling it around his finger and testing its tip before placing it back into the canvas bag.

Naiya followed suit, reloading the kunai she had been using in their earlier spar.

She had improved, she knew, but marks still littered her arms. She wasn't nearly fast enough to block all of Sasuke's lightning-quick moves and so long, angry red cuts were left behind where he had struck her. They healed quickly enough, she was happy to note, but in the meantime she looked as though she'd been fighting a paper shredder... and losing. _Badly._

"Ready?" she asked, almost smirking at the irony. He was always the one to prompt her. Normally to start another spar.

Quite frankly, she was surprised he was still training with her. Naiya would have figured he'd of abandoned her at first chance. She was still far below his level, advanced as he was, but she supposed that she put up enough of a fight to be a good enough sparing partner. Or maybe he just liked cutting her up, who knew with him?

Naiya certainly didn't. Sasuke was a complete enigma, down even to the secretive past that people whispered about behind hands and closed doors, when they thought no one could hear their gossiping.

"_Poor boy."_

"_To think one's own kin could turn like that, could go and -"_

"_- brother. He was the boy's idol."_

She'd caught snatches of conversation, broken sentences that sent chills down her spine, though she still had no idea of the full extent, what had really happened within the walls of the once-grande Uchiha compound. She wanted to ask the boy outright, but, somehow, she didn't think that would turn out too well for her. Along with the creepy backstory, Sasuke also had the temper and the love of silence down pat. He would probably kill her if she stepped that far out of line.

Sighing, Naiya followed the stoic boy from the fields and onto the streets of Konoha. It was noon and the town was packed, full of vendors and stands selling everything from fruit to a sweet smelling stew that set the girl's stomach to growing.

She inhaled deeply as they passed that particular stand, the scent of pepper and herbs ticking her nose. She was half tempted to stop and buy a cup full of the heady stew, but Sasuke didn't seemed inclined to pause in his fast-paced step anytime soon. Besides, Iruka had spent the morning making lunch for the entirety of the class, something he was apparently prone to doing when he made them attend weekend lessons.

The two finally broke away from the crowd and continued down a long street, the wide stone and mortar building of the academy rising up to meet them as cobblestone disappeared under their feet.

Sasuke shouldered the door open, pressing it into the catch outside the building until it snapped into place, allowing the day's lovely breeze to wind its way in. The afternoon light, too, spilled into the main room, lighting the space in golden sheets. It poured through both the open door and the large windows that made up the entirety of the back wall, leading out into the academy's training fields.

Naiya could see a few of her classmates through the sliding glass door, milling around in small groups on the track or surrounding a training pillar, waiting out the last few minutes before Iruka would call them in for lunch.

A few boys were mid spar, their weapons glinting brightly as they dodged and weaved around the others. A single girl fought with them, her golden hair trailing behind her like the icy tail of a comet as she struck a boy with the back of her kunai, cackling gleefully as she spun away. Ino, Naiya thought her name was.

She broke away from the boys as Sasuke and Naiya slid open the door and stepped back outside, into the large courtyard. Her eyes, a stunning baby blue that glinted as sharp as the blade she held, raked over Naiya before softening and turning to the boy at her side.

"Sasuke-kun!"

Naiya snorted and patted the boy on the back, ignoring his glare. "Good look, Sasu-chan," she said sarcastically.

The blonde latched onto his arm as Naiya walked away, still giggling, and made her way to where Shikamaru lay on his back in the relative shade of a tree, staring up into the sky. She pushed the tip of her sandal clad foot into his side, making him cast a semi-irritated glare up at her.

"G'morning Shika-kun!" she chirruped, excessively cheerful, merely in a half-hearted attempt to annoy him. She slumped down next to the boy, leaning her back against the thick trunk of the tree, reveling in the cool breeze and the shade cast by the large oak.

"Tired?" Shikamaru asked after a moment, taking note of her disheveled appearance. Blood was caked under her left eye, running in a jagged line down her neck, spilling over onto her collarbone, and cuts were visible on her arms. "Sasuke seems to have gotten you good quite a few times."

She released a sigh of deep suffering and nodded. "Exhausted. I don't know how I'm going to make it through today's class."

Before Shikamaru could respond - with a roll of the eyes and a snarky comment, Naiya figured - Iruka stuck his head out of the window above the courtyard and hollered down at them.

"Lunchtime, guys!" he called, a cheery lilt apparent in his voice. "Come on up and eat!"

With a collective cheer, the entirety of the courtyard filed back into the academy and up the stairs, into Iruka's small classroom where the potent scent of nori and cooked fish hung heavy in the air.

Set before each of the chairs along the the desks were big, open, bento boxes. Naiya peered over the lip of hers and felt a smile spread across her face. The onigiri were shaped like tiny nin, complete with carrot eyes and cooked seaweed masks. The tiny hitai-ate that rung its rice head was festooned with a carrot rendition of the Konoha's symbol, the same one that decorated Iruka's metal-plated headband.

"How _cute!"_ Naiya heard someone coo. She turned over her shoulder to see Sakura, the pink haired girl she so often saw fawning over the prodigy Uchiha, staring wide-eyed at the box of rice balls and fried fish. She was rather pretty, though hot-tempered most of the time.

Naiya's smile grew as she pulled one of the nin-balls out and slowly raised it to her mouth. She didn't want to eat something so cute, but her stomach was growling incessantly and it smelled absolutely delicious. And indeed it was.

Ten minutes later found Naiya sitting back in her seat, sighing contentedly. Even her bruises and aching muscles seemed to be made better by the delicious meal. Most of the class shared this sentiment, it seemed, if their smacking of lips and, in the case of Naruto,_ licking of bento boxes_, were any indication.

This small bit of joy, however, was fleeting. Just as Sasuke finished his last bite of rice, Iruka stood, motioning for the class to follow suit.

"Alright, guys," he said, still smiling jovially. He held a box in his hands. Naiya strained to see over the edge, catching a quick glimpse of colored paper. "I have a special training exercise set up for today."

He began to walk along the aisles, instructing the students to close their eyes and take a piece of paper. He reached Naiya after a moment and she did as instructed, shutting her eyes tight. Her hand landed in the box, moved around for a moment, feeling for a piece. Finally, she drew one. It was purple.

"What did you get?" she asked Shikamaru, leaning back in her seat to talk to him, balancing precariously on two legs.

"Red," he said, waving the slip of paper in front of the girl's face.

She made a face and sat forward, fiddling with the slip absently, tearing the edges slightly as she waited for Iruka to finish.

"There are three slips of each color," Iruka said loudly, raising his voice to be heard over the din of the class. "The two with the corresponding color will be your teammates for this exercise."

Immediately, Naiya began to look around, chewing on her bottom lip. Sasuke held a slip of red, like Shikamaru, and Naruto a slip of green. She continued to scan the other students, all of them doing the same. Finally she saw another flash of purple, held in the small moon-pale hands of a pretty, purple-haired girl.

She stood and made her way towards the girl, who was looking down at the slip in her hand like it had betrayed her somehow. Naiya wondered at that, but didn't say anything. "Hi," She stuck her hand out. "I'm-"

"Naiya-san," the girl finished, nodding. Her tiny hand slipped into Naiya's, shaking it gently. "Y-yes, I know. I'm Hinata."

The raven-haired girl grinned. "Pleasure to meet you, Hinata-chan. I wonder who our last teammate is."

The girl's wonderings were answered moments later, as Sakura walked towards them, waving a strip of purple. "Hey Hinata-chan," she said, grinning. She turned and nodded her head at Naiya, not near as familiar with her. The girl returned the gesture.

"Aright," Iruka said once everyone was standing in groups of three and one group of four. "Now that you have your teammates, I'll tell you what we're doing." He turned to the board, chalk in hand. He scrawled out something quickly, his body mostly obscuring it so Naiya could only read "Hi" and "eek."

He moved and Naiya smiled, the class breaking into tiny conversations. Ninja Hide and Seek. This could be interesting.

...

Naiya looked around nervously, watching as Hinata tugged at a piece of fringe before turning her eyes back to her classmates. They were as restless as her, fidgeting in place and fiddling with weapons that glinted a dangerous silver in the now fading daylight.

She ran a hand through her long hair and sighed, her fingers tangling in the dark mess as a particularly aggressive gust of wind rushed past. Sakura stumbled and glared as it wound about her tiny frame, though the wind hardly seemed to care.

The three girls, along with the rest of Iruka's class, stood at the edge of the forrest surrounding the village, just outside the gates. They had all gone home to get permission from their parents for the little excursion, minus Naiya who was already with her guardian, before meeting before the imposing wooden guard. That was an hour ago.

Now they were officially beyond the bounds of Konoha, a first for many, though not for Naiya. She cringed as she remembered the day, months gone, that she struggled down the worn gravel path, bleeding and exhausted. With a firm shake of her head, she rid herself of the image and focussed in on the silent girl next to her.

"So, Hinata-chan," she said, settling down next to the dark-haired girl. She rested her arms across her knees, loose despite the choking fear she couldn't seem to rid herself of. Flashes of red flitted across her vision on wings of fire. "How do you think we'll do?"

Hinata smiled, her moon-white eyes glinting. She was a very pretty girl, Naiya thought, and sweet, too. It made her nice company, far better than the pink-haired member of their group. She was a little loud for Naiya's taste, though one might say the same of her.

"Well, I suppose," she said, her voice a clear, quiet murmur. Somewhere around the second hour the three had spent in each other's company, Hinata had lost her stutter. It seemed to only manifest when she was speaking to someone new or, Naiya had noted with a smirk, when Naruto was in the near vicinity. She had asked the girl about the blonde idiot, which had prompted a bright red face and the return of her stutter. It was quite endearing, really. She was like a fragile porcelain doll, a blush painted on perfect cheeks.

"Why so?" Naiya asked, tilting her head to one side.

Sakura paused in her pacing and turned to the raven-haired girl. "You don't know, do you?" she asked, though she must have assumed that Naiya didn't. She waited until asked for elaboration before continuing. "Hinata's family has a certain ability. A blood- limit that only members of the Hyuuga line can perform," she explained, suddenly taking the role of teacher as Naiya easily slipped into student mode.

"Ne, really, Hinata-chan? What is it?"

The Hyuuga girl flushed red and nodded slightly. "Yes, we have an ability called the Byakugan."

Naiya wanted to ask what this meant exactly, but Iruka took center-stage, so to speak, calling the assembled students to order.

"We're about ready to begin," he said, his eyes scanning across the many faces. He rested on Naiya, smiling slightly. "I know you'll all do well, but please do try and stay out of trouble. If possible, don't injure each other, and remember, the goal is to seek out the other teams and steal their flags."

Naiya placed her hand on her leg, where the purple strip of fabric was tied over the dark material of her pants. Hopefully she could keep it guarded well enough not to let down her team.

"Once your flag has been stolen, that's it for you. Return here and, if you have another team's flag, please turn it in. I will log your score and time." Iruka smiled again before nodding. Naiya crouched, nerves bubbling like champagne in her stomach. She swallowed.

"Go."

...

Hinata's ability, it seemed, was the most helpful blessing the team could have asked for. She was an amazing tracker, able to seek out the closest and most unawares trio. The group so far had one other flag, a gaudy orange one shoved into Sakura's pouch, and were working on their second. Ino, the blonde from earlier, stood in a small clearing with two boy's Naiya couldn't place names to.

Sakura bristled at the sight of the pretty blonde, but didn't say anything. Naiya noticed the way her grip tightening to white-knuckle on the kunai she held, though, and laid a comforting hand on the girl's shoulder. She smiled tightly, her green eyes intense. Naiya wondered what _that_ story was.

"Ready?" Naiya asked, bouncing slightly. Adrenaline was singing through her veins, making her giddy. She was feeling confident after their first victory and, with the way the team bellow them was bickering, she felt that she need not fear defeat.

"Aa," Hinata said, her face relaxing after another scan of the area. They seemed to be the only team close enough to hear the high-pitched voice of Ino, as loud as it was.

Sakura only nodded, her hold loosening on the throwing knife. "Let's go."

Naiya dropped from the tree first, landing easily behind them. Her feet touched ground, knees bending to absorb the shock, making almost no sound. Even if she had, she doubted the three could have possibly heard over the din the blonde was making. Still, she moved as quietly as possible for her, listening for any sound of her teammate.

Hinata was her guard, following on her flank, and Sakura was moving around to the front. It was the pink-haired girl's strategy and, truth be told, it was actually quite good. It had earned her Naiya's respect, especially after it worked so well the first time. They had all made it out without so much as a scratch, after all.

After a moment, three kunai flew from the upper boughs of a nearby tree, striking one of the boys in the arm and pinning the pants of the other to the ground. Ino leapt back, mid-rant, before she could be struck, sending her right into the path of Naiya and Hinata.

Naiya wrapped an arm around Ino's middle and tried to force her to the ground. To her surprise, Ino only bent in half and kicked up with her right foot, nailing the girl in the shin. Hissing in pain, she released the blonde and swung a leg low, tripping her and sending the girl sprawling.

Hinata swept in as another couple of kunai rained down on the boys, pinning them quite thoroughly to the forrest-floor as Naiya knelt down on Ino's back.

"We'll take that," the raven-haired girl said, smirking, as Hinata untied the blue strip of fabric from the girl's arm. Ino cursed, but stopped in her struggling, defeated.

Sakura came into view, a hand fisted on her hip and a cocky smile arranged on her face. "Sorry, Ino-pig. Guess you're just not as good as us."

Ino snorted, her mouth twisting into a sardonic grin. "As if, Saku-face. I'm just tired. We do have two flags, after all."

Sakura's smile faltered, but she shrugged and turned away. "We'll be off to get another now. Let's go, Hinata. Naiya."

Frowning slightly, Naiya moved her knee from Ino's back and offered the girl her hand. Ino took it, albeit somewhat reluctantly, and allowed the raven-haired girl to pull her to her feet.

"Sorry if I hurt you," Naiya said, smiling, as she turned away. "I'm used to sparring with Sasuke. If I don't aim to hurt, I can't even begin to compete."

"Sasuke-kun?" the blonde's voice rose a few octaves, making Naiya cringe. "Just what, exactly, is your _relationship_ with him?"

Naiya sighed and turned over her shoulder. Two possible answers streaked through her mind as she considered the bristling blonde, the truth, that she and Sasuke barely spoke to one another, and the one that would get her yelling. She went with the latter.

"Sorry," she said, smiling. "I try not to kiss and tell."

Later, when Naiya thought back on that little exchange, she realized that perhaps it wasn't the brightest of moves. Not only did Ino's yell attract the closest group to her and her team, but she ended up with a kunai lodged in her leg.

"What did you _say_ to her?" Sakura asked as she yanked the blade from Naiya's abused skin. The girl didn't even flinch, rather used to the pain by now. Besides, it wasn't really that deep.

"Oh, nothing," Naiya said, smart enough not to relay the message to another fangirl. She might just end up with the kunai in another, more painful, part of her body.

"Had to have been something pretty bad," a familiar, but unexpected voice, rang out. "Ino's yell was loud enough for us to pinpoint you."

The girls froze, Hinata yelping as her Byakugan activated and revealed to her who it was that had cornered the girls. She knew at sight that this wasn't going to end well and, had she been the one with the flag, she would have just tossed it to the boys and fled. Unluckily, or perhaps luckily, it was Naiya who held the purple strip of fabric, knotted tightly around her leg.

Naiya turned and almost groaned. Kiba, the one who had spoken, was lounging against a tree. Sharp canines poked down past his lower lip, a confident smirk arranged on his face. She mirrored the look, though she felt nowhere near as sure of herself as she had moments before.

Standing close by was Sasuke, the usual glower pinned into place, and slumped against another tree was Shikamaru. She'd already known the two were on the same team, but she had really hoped that they would refrain from coming after her. Alas, luck didn't seem to be on her side at the moment.

Kiba glanced down at Naiya's leg, pushing away from the tree and stalking forward until he was level with the Uchiha. The two exchanged nearly silent words, Kiba grinding his teeth together in what looked like anger. Shikamaru just looked rather bored and completely un-inclined to do anything but watch.

"What should we do?" Naiya asked Hinata and Sakura as the two came forward to flank the girl.

"They're stronger than us," Sakura pointed out, her voice slightly dreamy due to her close proximity to the Uchiha boy. Naiya almost face-palmed, only refraining because of the, slightly dire, situation at hand. "And smarter."

"Well, gee," Naiya glared. "Thanks, Sakura. That's really helping us feel better."

She shrugged. "It's true."

"I know it's true," Naiya sighed, keeping a careful eye on the boys. Kiba's hands were clenching and unclenching, a sly smile flitting across his features. They had a plan and that really didn't bode well with any of the girls.

"Don't let them split us up," Hinata said suddenly, surprising the other two girls. "We're stronger together and weaker apart."

Naiya opened her mouth to agree, when Kiba's second interjection into the girl's conversation cut her off. "So, girls. Wanna play?" he asked, his brown eyes sparking light firelight.

"With you?" Sakura chided, her pink lips pursed.

"Who else, pinky?" The Inuzuka stalked forward, true to his namesake, and laced a hand through Sakura's hair. The silky strands parted between his fingers as he walked around her. He continued. "Sasuke_-kun_ doesn't like to play with girls so weak."

His mocking was obvious, as was his plan, but Sakura still fell victim to the trap. Her green eyes flashed as dangerous as the blade she now wielded, her hair whipping behind her as she raced after the boy, into the treetops and away.

Naiya cursed as the last traces of pink faded away, Kiba leaving a trail of insults behind him for Sakura to follow. "This isn't good," Naiya hissed under her breath, digging her nails into her arm. Blood leapt to the surface in form of three crescent moons.

"She's not near as bright as she appears to be," Shikamaru noted from his seated position, casting a cursory glance at the two raven-haired girls. "You should have known our plan was 'Divide and Conquer.'"

Sasuke rolled his eyes, not one for conversation, and settled low into a battle stance. Naiya's courage sank with him. She fought this boy near every day and only once had she forced him into a draw. Mostly she ended up on her back, a kunai at her throat.

"Naiya-chan, what should we do?"

"We fight. Hard."

Sasuke made the first move, surprising the girls. Hinata leapt out of the way, but Naiya met him head on, pushing her arm up into the boy's descending forearm. The kunai Naiya hadn't realized he'd drawn brushed along her forehead. If it cut her, Naiya didn't notice.

Hinata came in from behind, swiping a leg low as she let loose two kunai. The Uchiha's legs tensed for a moment before he was suddenly gone, leaving the kunai to embed themselves in Naiya. Luckily, the girl was rather accustomed to Sasuke's fighting style and had seen this coming. She tucked and rolled to the side, the blades sticking harmlessly into the tree behind her, vibrating with a faintly-blue energy. Naiya wondered at that, but had no time to really consider it.

"I'm getting better, ne, Sasuke-_kun?"_ Naiya said, stressing the honorific. She knew how badly that annoyed him and was strangely gratified to see him tense up.

She chose that moment to launch her fist at him, managing to strike his gut well enough to leave him breathless for a moment. Sensing another chance, Hinata threw another of her sparking kunai. This time, it lodged itself into Sasuke's thigh.

His eyes widened as the blade zapped him, causing his pace to slow considerably. Naiya didn't know what, exactly, Hinata had done, but she was sure appreciative. With a grunt, Naiya kicked her foot into Sasuke, sending the boy flying back into a tree with enough force to rattle the branches over head. Naiya smirked in a self-satisfactory manner.

"Nice, Hina-chan!" she called to the girl, who was looking at Sasuke with concern.

The boy seemed perfectly fine, though, if not a tad bit more angry. He pushed himself to his feet and gathered what Naiya belatedly realized was chakra to himself. He split into three, each racing towards her. Naiya cursed. She wasn't yet able to do much more than a substitution yet, as inept with chakra as she was.

All three sets of hands blurred as he ran at Naiya and Hinata, who was now flanking the girl again. They both sunk into defensive positions, but it was futile.

Flames scorched over the two, sending them both to the ground, Naiya shouting an expletive that would have made Naruto proud at the Uchiha. Heat pricked Naiya's skin, leaving behind a burn that Iruka wouldn't be happy about, and as she'd hit the ground, her own kunai dug itself into the girl's palm.

_Insult to injury much?_ Naiya thought to herself.

When the heat finally subsided, Sasuke stood before the girls, wearing his trademark smirk. "Hn," was all he said, though Naiya knew it mean more along the lines of, "HA!"

Dangling from his finger was their purple flag.

...

**A/N:** My beta is in Germany. I blame any and all mistakes on her.

Sorry again for my lateness. Give me a review and I'll hurry up, kay?

Next chapter will feature a character introduction as well as some more Hinata. Maybe a graduation is in order as well, as I'm sure you all tire of the academy.  
Zabuza and Haku are waiting to enter. I have the plot line roughly created for this saga. It may start out rather the same, but trust me. It won't be. At all.

P.S.  
That little button at the bottom isn't just for show. Click. Review.


	7. let us play pretend

**We Stand, Unknown****  
**_Chapter 6_

**A/N:** Once again the White Rabbit. (Ha, get it? Cause "I'm late! I'm late!" Yeah, kay, I'll just shut up now.)

**Disclaimer:** Kishimoto-sama owns near everything. I only take credit for Naiya.

**Dedication: **This chapter is dedicated to _Your Hoshi_ for their lovely review. Thank you so much for your support!

...

"You did good today, Naiya-chan," Hinata said as the two turned a corner. A long, dead-end street stretched out before them, lit by a handful of gas lamps that hung from the top spikes of a large, imposing gate.

"Ah, thanks, Hina-chan," Naiya scratched the back of her head sheepishly, smiling. "But I was the one who let the flag get stolen."

Hinata giggled, pausing before the only break in the gate. Naiya looked past the small raven-haired girl, gazing into the shadowy depths of the Hyuuga compound. It seemed rather creepy, not really the nicest of places to grow up in, she thought.

"Thank you for walking me home, Naiya-chan."

"Eh? Oh, it was no problem, Hina-chan. It's the least I could do after you gave me some of that healing salve." Naiya brushed her hand over her arm. It was almost healed now, the burns no longer ailing her at all.

"Hinata, is that you?"

Hinata's eyes widened suddenly and she tensed, turning slowly to face the tall figure emerging from the shadows. He was dressed in elegant fabrics, draped across a slim, but strong build. He had the same, pupil-less eyes as Hinata and Naiya realized with a start that this man must be Hinata's father.

She quickly dropped into a bow, a blush spreading across her face. "H-hello, Hyuuga-san."

Hinata did the same, muttering a nearly-silent, "Hello, Father."

Hiashi, head of the Hyuuga line, studied Naiya for a moment with a blank expression, unnerving the girl. She was in quite a state, she knew; her hair was in disarray and lacerations still decorated her thin arms despite Hinata's best efforts.

"Hinata, who is this girl?" he asked. His voice was a deep monotone that sent shivers chasing themselves up Naiya's spine. He radiated enough to power to make even the rambunctious girl want to show him respect. She found herself slipping into Hinata's shy state.

"My name is Naiya, Hyuuga-san," she offered when Hinata stuttered herself into oblivion, fidgeting slightly.

Hiashi regarded her with a small bit of disinterest before turning back to his daughter, who seemed to be regaining the ability or speak. "She was just walking me home, father. She was my teammate in class today. She's quite impressive."

Naiya beamed at Hinata.

"What is your clan name, Naiya-san?"

"Eh?" Her eyes widened past their already protuberant state, making her look much more like a deer caught in the headlights than usual. "Ano, well," she floundered for a response. She could give Iruka's last name, she supposed. "Umino, Hyuuga-san."

"I was not aware that Iruka-san had any children."

"Ah, no!" This was not going well. She swallowed hard, lowering her voice. "I'm his niece, actually. Daughter to his sister."

Hiashi raised a thin, fine brow at her, the only change in countenance she'd seen from him since his arrival, before nodding. "I see."

Naiya flushed red, feeling suddenly overheated despite the cool night. She clasped her hands together behind her back, rocking slightly on her heels to alleviate some of the tension.

"Well, Naiya-san, my daughter seems to think highly of you," Hiashi said suddenly, startling the girl. She stopped her rocking and stood up straighter. "The Hyuuga household would be honored if you joined us for dinner tomorrow."

Naiya looked to Hinata for an answer, but the girl seemed just as stunned by her father's offer as she was. She gulped and nodded. "Thank you, Hyuuga-san. I would be honored."

He smiled at her, but it didn't reach his eyes.

...

Naiya waited until an hour before she was to leave for the Hyuuga compound to tell Iruka of the invitation. She assumed he would make a big deal out of it and he was already nervous at is was. His reaction could only make it worse, Naiya figured. She was right.

They were sitting in Iruka's room, Naiya on the floor between the man's legs, Iruka on the bed, brush in hand. She had just gotten out of the shower and, as was their usual routine these days, Iruka was aiding her in the brushing of her thick, dark tresses.

"I can't believe you didn't tell me!" he said, his voice just a tad too high, as he pulled the brush through her long hair. She winced, at both his tone and the pain caused from the brushing.

"I knew you'd make a big deal out of it," she said by way of explanation, shrugging.

"Of course I'm going to make a big deal out of it, Naiya. Hiashi Hyuuga is the head of his clan and being invited to dinner by him, personally, is an honor."

Naiya rolled her eyes and picked up the brush from where Iruka had placed it on the bed. He had stood up a moment ago and was pacing now, making grand hand gestures as he spoke.

"The Hyuuga clan is one of the oldest in village. Older, even, than the Uchiha clan, though it is speculated that at some point they were the same clan..." He trailed off before shaking his head sharply. "Oh god, what are you going to _wear?"_

Naiya raised a brow. "I was just going to wear this," she said, motioning to herself. She wore her blue top with a black skirt that fell to mid-thigh, her white-obi, as always, tied around her middle. "Why does it matter what I wear? He saw me in my academy clothes and still invited me over."

She moved to stand in front of the mirror and finished brushing her hair. She considered her reflection for a moment before shrugging and using the two ribbons wrapped around the brush to tie her hair up into high pigtails. Her hair still swished around her shoulder blades. Maybe she should cut it?

"Naiya, are you even listening to me?"

She blinked a few times before glancing back at the brunet. "I'm sorry, what?"

He sighed. "You'll have to ask Hinata for a kimono. Yours is too tattered to be of much use." He moved to stand behind her, taking the brush once again. He undid the ribbons and let her hair fall back down into place. "I, at least, can fix your hair."

...

Naiya looked up at the huge wrought-iron fence that surrounded the Hyuuga compound as she made her way down the one way street, just as she had the previous night. Even in the fading light of day it was imposing, almost eerie. Beyond the black bars stood an even larger building, tall and grey with a surprisingly bright red-tiled roof that stretched out against the fading light of the sun.

"Come on in, Naiya-chan," Hinata said, smiling, as she opened the gate for the gimlet-eyed girl.

"Ah, thanks, Hina-chan," Naiya said distractedly, looking around her. The walk she stood on was the only part of the yard not covered in green. Tiny flowers poked up in a rainbow of colors, like a prism had been taken apart and scattered across the grass. "Pretty," she breathed.

"Hm?"

Naiya blushed and opened her mouth to speak before noticing Hinata's clothing. The tiny Hyuuga was clad in a rich purple kimono, decorated with tiny butterflies and flowers in shades of lilac and sakura-pink. The obi was a glimmering gold, pulled from the accents on the butterfly's wings, and the obi-jime was braided pink, tiny butterflies dangling from the ends.

"Wow, Hina-chan. You look so... _pretty."_

Now it was Hinata's turn to blush. "Th-thank you, Naiya-chan," she said, her stutter fading back into existence. "I'm sure you'll look beautiful, as well."

"Oh! Thanks for letting me borrow a kimono, by the way," Naiya said as Hinata finished leading the way to the door. She pushed slightly and it creaked open, sending the fading light of day to sprawl out on the gleaming hardwood floors. Naiya's breath caught.

"It's beautiful."

Directly opposite to the front door was a hallway made entirely of glass, past that was a classic garden, a bamboo fountain rocking back and forth over a small koi pond. It was lit by the same, ornate gas lamps from the gates outside, this time hung on poles dangling over the water. A pretty orange koi leapt out of the water, shimmering in the casted light.

"This way, Naiya-chan," Hinata prompted when Naiya made no move to follow her. She led the girl past the glass hallway and down a few more, each with one glass wall. Finally, they turned down a hallway lined only with doors, and continued down it until they came to a dead end.

Hinata pushed the screen of the last door aside and moved to allow Naiya to step in first, closing it firmly behind them. Surprisingly enough, Hinata's room wasn't near as grande as the rest of the house.

It was far neater than Naiya's room, but it was sparsely decorated by a four poster bed, a tall dresser pressed against one wall, and a desk with a few weapons and scrolls in various colors sitting atop it. The walls were painted a shade of purple so light, it was almost white. It reminded Naiya's of the Hyuuga's eyes.

Hinata looked around her room and smiled slightly, fondly before making her way over to the second screen in the room. She slid it open and stepped into, what appeared to be, a closet. It far larger than any closet Naiya had ever seen, though.

"I only wear traditional clothes at home," Hinata explained as she pulled a blue kimono from the depths of the closet. It was packed full of rich, lush fabrics of every color, hanging from rods or folded on shelves. A single, pure white kimono was set on a stand in the back, its long sleeves hung perfectly beside it.

"Here," she said as she emerged from the closet, cradling a kimono in her arms. She'd since returned the blue one and was now holding one in blood-red.

Naiya blinked at it for a few moments before blushing nearly as darkly as the fabric. "Ah, I don't actually know how to put one on..."

...

Naiya batted irritably at the tiny bell-charm that dangled slightly above her ear, just careful enough not to muss her hair. Iruka had twisted the top half of her long black tresses into an intricate up-do, pinned into place by a pair of chopsticks. Her bangs were also pulled back on one side with a beautiful silver comb. Unfortunately, it also had little silver bells that tinkled gently with each move the girl made, leading to her current irritability.

"Naiya-chan, are you okay?"

Naiya smiled as cheerfully as she could and gave the comb one last swat. "Ah, yeah. I'm fine... Thanks so much for this, by the way." She motioned to the ornate kimono she wore. "Really, it's so nice of you to have leant it to me."

"It looks good on you."

She flushed and spun slightly, watching her reflection dance along the glass wall. The red kimono was accented with silver, a black obi tied around her waist, knotted far more intricately than Naiya had ever seen one tied, something Hinata called the "butterfly knot." Over that was a silver obi-jime, two small bells dangling from the braided ribbon, to match the hair comb.

The two girls walked the rest of the way through the halls of the Hyuuga compound in silence. Hinata had explained to Naiya the dynamics of her family as she'd finished dressing her. Lucky for her, she'd only be dining with immediate family, so she wouldn't have to bother with memorizing the "hierarchy" of the Hyuuga line.

When Naiya question Hinata's wording of this, the girl only sighed and gave a small explanation of, "It's complicated." Then she changed the subject. This really only piqued Naiya's interest more, but she had kept her questions to herself. If she wanted to talk about it, Naiya figured, she would have.

"Your sister's name is Hanabi, right? Do I need to give her an honorific?"

Hinata looked thoughtful, pausing before a large door decorated with an intricate crest that spanned the length of the screen. "It would probably please my family if you called her Hanabi-san, but she is younger than you, so it's your decision." She bit her lip slightly. "It might be good if you called my father Hiashi-sama, though."

"Will do."

"Ready?"

Naiya swallowed before nodding. She wasn't really ready to be fed to the Hyuuga-sharks, but she could handle this. If she could take a smirking Uchiha prodigy throwing knives at her, she could handle an old, prissy man. "Yes, Hinata-san." she said, winking at the girl.

Hinata slid the door open and, once again, allowed Naiya to step in before her. The gimlet-eyed girl pulled the hem of the kimono up slightly, revealing the traditional sandals she wore, and stepped inside.

Hiashi Hyuuga sat before a low table, seated on a pillow at the head of it. He was once again garbed in rich fabric of varying shades of blue and his long, dark hair was tied back and out of the way. Seated at his side, facing the two girls as they stepped through the door, was Hanabi. She, too, was dressed in a kimono, painted with a spectrum of colors. Her eyes were sharp and her mouth was set into a thin line, like she was somehow displeased by Naiya's very presence.

Naiya bowed as gracefully as she could, looking around her through the curtain of thick hair that fell forward. It was large, rectangular room, lit only by lamps. It seemed to be a pattern here. The edges were blurred together with shadows and Naiya could sense that someone stood beyond where she could see. The table was already set with tea and a huge serving bowl sat on the raised dais in the middle, a ladle laid out next to it.

"Welcome," Hiashi said, motioning for the two girls to be seated. Naiya smiled demurely in return and folded her legs beneath herself, seated on a small velvety pillow beside Hinata. She was being characteristically quiet, her mouth sealed and her eyes downturned, though surprisingly sharp, as if she were in deep thought.

"Thank you again for inviting me, Hiashi-sama," the gimlet-eyed girl said quietly, bowing her head. "It was quite unexpected."

"You intrigued me," he said simply, turning his head slightly at the sound of the screen door sliding open behind the two girls.

Naiya swiveled her head back, just a tad too fast, knocking herself off balance. She threw out one arm to catch herself, falling gracelessly onto her palm. She scowled and looked up, meeting the eyes of another scowling face.

His eyes were the same pale shade of pearl as the rest of the Hyuuga's and his long glossy hair was tied back into a simple knot. He was beautiful in an effortless way, holding himself with a graceful air Naiya could never accomplish. She would have called him the most stunning thing she'd ever seen were it not for the scowl marring his perfect face, his pale lips twisted in disgust.

"H-hello, Neji-niisan," Hinata spluttered, as if Naiya's poor balance had somehow been her fault.

The boy, Neji, looked down at the smaller girl with a poorly concealed sneer. "Hinata-sama," he said with an underlying tone of something Naiya couldn't quite understand. It sounded like hatred, but who could hate Hinata, of all people? She was far to sweet.

Naiya frowned and leaned into Hinata as Neji went to take his seat. Hiashi had turned to speak with one of the attendants and so was distracted well enough for the girls not to be overheard speaking.

"Who is that?" she asked.

"Neji-niisan, my cousin," Hinata breathed, brushing at her already immaculate clothing. "He's part of that Hyuuga Hierarchy I mentioned earlier." Her voice was low, but she sounded disgusted with the words even so, spitting them out like acid.

"What do you mean?"

"It's complicated." She pursed her lips, her pale eyes wavering with unshed tears. "Complicated and horrid, a fate one can't escape. He's bound to me and this bloodline, whether he or I like it. All because he was born to the branch family and I to the main line."

Hinata left it at that, moving to sit straight, a picture of composure, though she dabbed her napkin against her eyes for a moment and her cheeks were flushed.

The Hyuuga compound appeared beautiful from the outside, Naiya thought, but its walls dripped with secrets, ghosts screaming the truth that no one wanted to hear. She tightened her grip on her sleeve and swallowed hard. What kind of place was she in?

The honored family lines of Konoha, the Hyuugas and the Uchihas, were filled with nothing but whispered scandals and disgrace; she was suddenly glad that she had nothing to do with them. As sweet as Hinata was, she would be relieved when this dinner came to an end. The elegance of the compound was lost to its horrors in her eyes, uglier than the fake smile Hiashi adorned when he addressed her.

"So, Naiya-san, tell me," he said, his fingers steepled under his chin. "If you are the daughter of Iruka-sensei's sister, why have you taken Umino as your family name and not your father's clan name?"

...

"I didn't like it there, Iruka," Naiya said, hours later. She was laying in her bed, the chunnin sitting with her. Her head was in his lap, black hair falling over his legs and onto the white of the bed sheets. "Why didn't you tell me?"

The dinner had ended on a sour note. Hiashi, apparently, had only invited the girl in order to gain information on her background. He had noticed a flaw in her story and his interest had been piqued. Naiya was then ceaselessly questioned on Mirror Country; what it was like in Summer, in Winter, their exports and imports, their Daimyos. She had managed to lie rather convincingly the whole time, but after the dinner was over Hinata's cousin, Neji, had pulled her aside.

"Tea?" he asked, his eyes full of disbelief. "Mirror Country's main export are gems and ore. I would assume someone who grew up there would know such a thing, especially the daughter of a worker, as you said." He grabbed her arm as she tried to turn and flee, knowing she was caught. "Who are you?" he hissed.

She pulled her arm forcefully from his grasp and scowled, forcing back tears. "If the Hokage doesn't question my story, I see no reason as to why you should."

With that, she had fled down the endless halls and outside, forgetting to return the kimono to Hinata in her haste. She'd shown up pink-faced and tear stained to Iruka's door. He made her tea and tucked her into bed after helping her take off the intricate layers of the formal dress, listening to her story.

"I didn't think you'd have to face it, Naiya," he said finally, patting her head soothingly. "You did your best, Aijou."

"But I just don't understand."

"It's best not to try. The workings of the major clans is never smooth and rarely crystal clear. We may not like it, but it's not our place to interfere. Neji-kun and Hinata-chan will work it out when she takes control of her family, Naiya, so don't worry."

Biting her lip, Naiya nodded and closed her eyes, pretending to sleep. After a few minutes, Iruka slid out from beneath her head, replacing his lap with a pillow, and left. She sat up a few seconds after the door closed and ran a hand through her hair, her mind working through the events of the night.

She was intrigued by the Hyuuga family, she had to admit, but it also scared her to think that all clans could be the same. Could her clan, wherever it was, be the same? Could she have come from the same sort of tainted line, her family soaked in bloodshed and drenched in secrets?

She shuddered at the thought.

...

**A/N: **Bah. You knew my updating couldn't last. But at least now I know what I'm doing for the Zabuza saga.

If I haven't already said it, get ready for a _majorly_ bumpy ride. It may start the same as normal, but it will be anything but. There will even be candid appearances from future Team Hebi members. I figured if Karin could know Sasuke from somewhere, so could Suigetsu...

**K/N:** Yay! I'm back in the states and actually managed to beta the newest chapter within an hour of when it was written. I knew my lack of a sleeping schedule could be good for something.


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